Auditor outlines 2025 audit finding, abatement processing and upcoming budget schedule

Auditor Lucas (speaker 7) gave the commission an update on the county audit and internal operations, including tax-abatement processing and the upcoming budget timeline.

Lucas said the county's 2025 financial statement audit was generally positive but included a single finding: the fraud-risk assessment must be performed within the calendar year rather than in the early months after year-end. "I have it on my checklist to do that before the end of this year so that we are all in compliance for next year," Lucas said. He explained that staff are entering veterans' abatements and working on low-income applications so tax bills can go out in October. Lucas told commissioners he had sent budget spreadsheets to department heads; budgets are due back Oct. 1 and he expects department budget hearings during the weeks of Oct. 12 and Oct. 19. Lucas also placed an agenda request to change an employee (Taylor) from part-time to full-time to ensure payroll and BOE evaluation functions are cross-trained and supported.

Commissioners had no objections and asked Lucas to coordinate scheduling for budget hearings.